He shone a laser pen towards the aircraft on October 25 last year. Ditchburn’s case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. His case was reserved to Judge Peter Fox QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, who will pass sentence at a later date.

Just over a year ago, the same judge sounded a warning about the dangers of laser pens, which can be bought very cheaply.

Judge Fox said: “You and all the other lads have got to realise that this is so dangerously stupid it’s got to stop.” He jailed one man for four months and gave another a suspended sentence.

The latest case comes after a 14-year-old boy from Stockton became the first person on Teesside to be punished under new laws on shining lights at aircraft. He shone a high-powered lamp at a Cleveland Police helicopter, Teesside Youth Court heard.

He admitted an offence of “directing or shining any light at any aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot”. The boy was fined £210 with a £15 victim surcharge for the crime under the Air Navigation Order, which came into effect on January 1 this year.

Captain Phil Houghton was piloting the helicopter, with two police observers, at the time.

Capt Houghton, a civilian, said: “We identified it as somebody deliberately illuminating the aircraft.” The youths were followed and continued to flash the light “even though it was quite obvious we knew where they were”.

The culprit was followed all the way to his front door. “While we were waiting for the police to arrive the youth was outside gesticulating at the aircraft when his mother administered a clip round the ear.”

He said of the laser pens: “They are very powerful. It is a big distraction. It really does illuminate the whole cockpit.” He said new laws had “been required for some time” and accused offenders of “stupidity and naivety”.